Sibling Duos No Anomaly in the CHL

Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Hockey is a family sport, and over the years there have been too many
great sets of brothers to count. Today, each junior league in the CHL
has several pairs of brothers in its ranks. To satisfy geographic and
logistic concerns, they often end up playing together on the same team.

Back in 2015, when Ryan McLeod was about to be drafted into the OHL, I
did a HockeyNow story about the McLeods (Ryan, Matthew and Michael),
and the Stromes (Ryan, Matthew and Dylan). What I didn’t know was that
Ryan would be drafted to the Mississauga Steelheads, whom his older
brother Michael was already a member of.

After a bit of poking around this week, I’ve found that there are
many sets of brothers in the CHL that play for the same team. Here are
two from each league (and there are more still).

Cal and Nolan Foote, Kelowna RocketsYet another example of how hockey aptitude runs in the family, Cal
and Nolan Foote are both highly-coveted draft-eligible prospects. Rated
eighth overall in 2017 by ISS, Cal is a tough two-way defenceman in the
same vein as former NHL great Adam. Meanwhile, Nolan (did Adam name his
son after former teammate Owen Nolan?) is a 6-foot-3 left winger with 11
goals in 33 games as a 16-year-old. Expect to see both kids in the NHL
at some point.

Reid and Erik Gardiner, Kelowna Rockets
Perhaps the Rockets wanted more of a good thing when they decided to
trade for Reid Gardiner at the trade deadline, whose younger brother
Erik also plays for the squad. Reid, a former WHL All-Star, had spent
the first part of his season with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre Scranton
Penguins. Currently in playoff position, the Rockets acquired him to
help the team do some damage in the postseason—and perhaps rub off on
his draft-eligible younger brother a bit. Both can play at centre or on
the wing.

Ryan and Michael McLeod, Mississauga SteelheadsRyan and Michael McLeod both grew up in the Toronto Marlboros minor
system, but they didn’t play together until the 2015-16 season, after
Ryan was drafted by the Steelheads. There isn’t much separating the two
of them besides the older Michael’s four extra pounds, and their
opposite shooting hands. Both are large, mobile centres who can
distribute the puck. You probably saw Michael at this year’s World
Junior Championships as the team’s extra forward. He was drafted in the
1st round of the 2016 NHL draft (12th overall) by the New Jersey Devils.
Expect Ryan to follow suit in 2018.

Taylor and Darren Raddysh, Erie OttersLike the Stromes and the McLeods, the Raddysh brothers are one of
countless sets of siblings that have come up through the Marlboros
system. Although tough defenceman Darren went undrafted, Taylor was
taken 58th overall by Tampa Bay at the 2016 NHL draft. They’ve been
playing together in Erie since the 2014-15 season, and it’s no
coincidence that the team has been especially dominant during that
time. Taylor wowed at the World Junior Championships this year with
five goals.

Kelly and Kevin Klima, Chicoutimi SaguenéensKelly and Kevin Klima are the only twins on this list, and like
Henrik and Daniel Sedin, are at their best when they’re playing
together. Sons of former Edmonton Oiler and Stanley Cup Champion Petr,
the brothers were drafted into the QMJHL by the Moncton Wildcats, who
have since traded them to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens. Although neither of
them were drafted in their first year of eligibility, they could play
their way into a professional tryout when they exit junior.

Felix and Christophe Boivin, Acadie-Bathurst TitansUndrafted brothers Felix and Christophe Boivin have been teammates
for Acadie-Bathurst since midway through 2014-15. Felix, a defenceman,
has a career-best 24 points this season, while his more offensive
brother had 62 points on the team’s left side. Christophe will play U
Sports hockey next season with the University of Québec-Trois-Rivières.

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